OT: Suns taking offers for Amar'e

Sprewell is a rather unique case, for a number of reasons. He made 1st team All-NBA in 93-94 - his second season in the league, but it wasn't his best season and he never even made made 3rd team All-NBA after that. His PER was only 15.9 that year, but his per game stats were inflated by playing more minutes than anyone else in the league and playing those minutes for a Don Nelson coached team that played at a very fast pace. 96-97 was a much better season for him, but he played fewer MPG and at a slower pace under Rick Adelman. So, his per game stats weren't as flashy.

Then came the choking incident.

Perhaps Steve Francis is a better example. His career was suprisingly short and his fall from stardom rapid. He was a former ROY who went from three consecutive all-star appearances to a guy who couldn't get off the bench on a very bad Knicks team in an amazingly short time span. His playing career was essentially over at 28 - when most players are in their prime. After the Knicks he was basically a bad contract that nobody wanted (passed from Portland to Houston to Memphis). His decline was amazing for a guy who never really suffered a major injury (nothing requiring surgery until his brief second stint in Houston).

BNM

 

I haven't seen a lot of folks mention specifics about why they wouldn't get him, but I am assuming it's because of the cost it would take to re-sign him? I know his body language hasn't been real good on the Suns lately, but I think part of that has to do with the fact he knows they aren't going to win jack shit there this year.

I think he could fit here if he is willing to buy in to win a championship. I think he can fit with both Oden and Aldridge.

 

Maybe Damon Stoudamire qualifies for this? He was around a 20 point/10 assist guy for Toronto, came to Portland with something of a "star point guard" aura and quickly became a player very few fans would want on their team.

 

Yeah Steve "The Franchise" Francis is a great example. He gets in just for the ultra-ironic nickname. I'd put him above Damon Stoudamire just because I think he was a much better player than Damon ever was. Ultra-athletic, great rebounder for a PG, ROY...the only thing Damon really beat him on was three point shooting. Although it was a pretty close call who had the larger ego.

It's amazing how fast and far Francis' career fell. One day he's deciding whether Yao was worthy to share his spotlight, the next he's stuck in a Knicks death spiral.

 

Amar'e is looking to go to a larger market. Portland is going in the wrong direction size wise.

I wonder how he will play without Nash on the floor. I know if I was an NBA player and I was on the same team as Nash I would play with that dude until he retired. He makes the game much easier for everyone else on the floor on offense.

Hell, D'Antoni should send Nash 10% of his paycheck every month as a fee for making his coaching look so good.

 

I wouldn't trade Darius Miles for Amare Stoudemire.

Wait. Yes I would.

 

He's a douche, he doesn't fit the system, he doesn't fit the culture, and he's not worth the price even if the first three disqualifiers weren't true.

 

No kidding. Amare is currently averaging 20.9 PPG and 8.6 RPG playing on the highest scoring team in the league. I wonder what his numbers would look like playing on the slowest paced team in the league - probably somewhere in the 17/7 to 18/8 range. Sound familiar. It should, that's basically what LaMarcus Aldridge has averaged over the past 2.5 seasons.

Amare doesn't play defense and will likely leave for a bigger market with a warmer climate. He's from Florida and with Jermaine O'Neal's $23 million expiring contract, I could see him easily ending up in Miami with D-Wade.

In any case, no thanks. He's a guy whose stats are inflated by the system he plays in. Shawn Marion regularly posted PERs in the low 20s and averaged > 20/10 while in Phoenix. He hasn't come close to matching those numbers anywhere else. Unless Amare ends up on a crappy team where he gets to jack-up >20 shots a game, look for his numbers to go down too when he leaves behind Steve Nash and the SSOL offense.

BNM

 

Maybe true, but then Nash should send one of his MVP trophies to D'Antoni

 

What happened to Francis anyway? Is there any explanation? Did he lose his athleticism? I never really watched him, and I always just figured he had bad knees or something.

 

He lost his mojo. He had a few minor nagging injuries (tendonitis in one knee, sore foot, migraine headaches) but nothing that should have killed his career so fast.

I really think he just lost his desire with each successive trade. He went from Houston, which was a play-off team, to Orlando, who wasn't, to the Knicks who were the biggest trainwreck I've ever seen during the Isiah Thomas reign of terror.

Guess that kind of killed any love he had for the game. He was getting paid a ridiculous salary for doing nothing. So, why put in any effort when your coach and GM is an idiot and your team sucks whether you try, or not? That wouldn't be my approach, but I can see how it can lead to malaise and depression.

BNM

 

You do know Amare has played center nearly every minute of his career with the Suns (except for when Shaq was there)?

 

He hasn't played it this year, either. First is was Frye and now Lopez.

BNM

 

Amare to the Spurs is a scary thought.

Spurs consider bidding for Stoudemire-Another intriguing suitor could emerge in the bidding for Phoenix Suns star Amar’e Stoudemire(notes): the San Antonio Spurs.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_y...=aw-stoudemirespurs012610&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

 

ESPN Insider is reporting that also. ^^

Kings:

Knicks:

 

You know I see people say that a lot. But you don't have to like a person to play with them, and to be frank, we could use the toughness and the attitude. Half the problem with Portland, is the lack of toughness, and the lack of tude. Portland desperately needs a #2 scorer to go behind Roy, because IMO, Lamarcus just isn't getting the job done. Portland needs rebounding. He rebounds. Portland needs a paint presence. He is a paint presence. Portland needs a player who plays with confidence. He plays with confidence.

I fully expect his numbers to drop some coming from a Nash running system, but I think he would be good for at least 20 and 10 a night here. What the hell else do we need?

Lasty, I don't think Paul Allen gives a fuck what it costs. His life is about living it why he can.

 

You expect his numbers to drop, but also for him to give us 20&10 a night? He doesn't get 10 rebounds in Phoenix, with nobody rebounding beside him, and a ton of shots going up each game. Aldridge has been a better rebounder than him this season.

That said, if there was a way to get him without giving up Aldridge, I would like to see it happen. WOuld help us out this year, and then next year, who knows. Maybe we work out a S&T, maybe we plan on giving him, Greg, and LMA each 32 minutes at the 4 and 5. Doubtful.

 

I actually expect a change of scenery to up his effort. See the way I look at it, the last 2 years with all the bullshit going on in PHX, he has not given it his best effort. Would you if your name had been up in trade rumors every year the last 3 years? I would expect him to head back towards his 25 point and 9.6 rebound year, but with less scoring.

Also I disagree about him rebounding about the same rate as Lamarcus. Just go watch some games and you will see the difference. He averages almost 9 boards a game right now. But it is the difference in the methodology he uses, that makes him a better rebounder. He blocks out well. He plays near the hoop. He doesn't play 18 feet out.